Happy Things: Crushing on Coconuts

Hey, Happy Lady! We are excited to launch our new series, Happy Things, where we will share some of our favorite products that are bringing joy and happiness to our lives. This week, we’re Crushing on Coconuts!

Image by BionicTeaching / Text Added

It seems like everywhere you turn, coconut products are lining the shelves. Products that have nothing to do with this tropical fruit are now creating coconut-flavored editions of their products to cash in on this latest health trend. With so many options, it’s hard to know which products are worth the hype. Well, Happy Ladies, you’ll be glad to know that we’ve made it our mission to try as many coconut-inspired products as possible to help you navigate this coconut craze!      

Here are the top five coconut products that we are currently crushing on:

• Coconut Water: We love this all-natural, super hydrating, potassium-rich drink. (Did you know that one serving of coconut water has as much potassium as FOUR bananas?) Coconut water is a great way to jazz up drinks without adding a lot of refined sugar or sodium. It also contains easily digestible carbohydrates in the form of naturally occurring sugar and electrolytes, which make it a great workout recovery drink (say goodbye to that bottle of Gatorade!) Coconut water has a unique, sweet but nutty-like flavor that can be overpowering if you haven’t acquired a taste for it. We recommend mixing it with your favorite beverage instead of drinking it on its own. Here are a couple of our favorite combinations: 
  
  
  Coconut Lemon Drop 
  1 Part Coconut Water
  3 Parts Lemon Mineral Water
  Squeeze of ½ Lemon (or to taste) 
  
  
  Coco Latte 
  1 Part Coconut Water
  1 Part Unsweetened Almond Milk
  2 Parts Coffee
  Serve hot or over ice
  
  

• Coconut Oil: Where have you been all of our lives, Coconut Oil?! This product has more uses than we could possibly list. We love using it straight out of the jar as a daily moisturizer or mixing it with a scoop of sugar for an all-natural body scrub. Check out this complete guide to see how you can add this to everything from conditioning your tresses to unsticking a zipper! (Grab a jar next time you're grocery shopping. It's usually stocked next to the cooking oils.) 

• Toasted Coconut Cookie Thins: No list would be complete without an item from our favorite Hawaiian-shirt-wearing grocer, Trader Joe's. These cracker-thin cookies are bursting with sweet, coconut flavor, and make a great afternoon treat when paired with tea or coffee, or as a refreshing dessert when served with vanilla ice cream.  

• Honolulu Sun Hand Soap: If you are in need of a tropical escape, try this coconut and pacific palm-scented foaming hand soap from Bath and Body Works. One pump of this gentle, moisturizing cleanser will conjure visions of the swaying palm trees, sparkling white sand, and turquoise waters of the Hawaiian Islands.

• Silk's Unsweetened Coconut Almond Milk Blend: If you are a fan of almond milk, try this new blend! It has a slightly sweeter, tangier taste than regular almond milk and is great alone, in smoothies, or as coffee creamer (we love it in the Coco Latte recipe above). It has the same great benefits as almond milk and provides 50% more calcium than dairy milk.

Do you have any favorite coconut-inspired products? Let us know in the comments below! 

Also, if you like pina coladas (and getting caught in the rain... haha), stay tuned for Friday's post, where we will share the recipe for our favorite pool-side cocktail, the Carmicolada!

Cheers!

Vicki and Julia

The Happy Body Checklist: Tip #3 (and our adventures in stand-up paddle-boarding!)

Hello, Happy Lady! 

This week we’re sharing the third tip on our Happy Body Checklist. (Once a week, we’re posting one of our favorite tips to stay motivated and meet our fitness goals. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any tips!)

Tip #3: Work it into everyday life!

The best way to stay active is to make it a lifestyle, not a task on your to-do list. Take a look at your upcoming week and think about where you can fit in extra physical activity without stepping foot in the gym.  

Recently, we decided to add a fun workout to a typically inactive brunch outing. Instead of heading straight for coffee and omelets, we decided to try stand-up paddle-boarding (SUP) at Lake Natoma with one of our favorite Happy Ladies, Anna!

Although we were initially nervous about our ability to balance on the board, we are happy to report that none of us fell in the water (a miracle, considering our clumsy tendencies). We were a little shaky when first standing on the board, but after we got our footing, it was smooth sailing! We were able to paddle alongside each other, snap pictures and chat as we took in the beautiful scenery. Not only did we have great experience, but our arms, legs and core were engaged the entire time! 

Needless to say, we are officially SUP fans! 

 

If you're located near Lake Natoma and would like to try SUP, check out the Sac State Aquatic Center web page for more information. We paddled for one hour for $13/person. No introductory class required!

Have you made simple changes to incorporate activity into your everyday life? Comment below! We would love to hear new ideas!

- Julia & Vicki

hey, happy lady!

Welcome to You Had Me at Happy Hour.

Do you feel a sudden improvement in your mood? It's probably because you just read the words "Happy Hour." One of the best phrases in the English language. It's a time when friends gather, worries are forgotten, and fun times are had by all.

Not only are we happy hour enthusiasts, but we also love all things that make the world (and your life) a better place. So stay tuned... we'll be posting our workouts (Happy Body), what we're reading, thinking, or researching (Happy Mind), what we're doing (Happy Life) and of course, what we're drinking (Happy Hour).

Bottoms up!

Julia & Vicki